Readers' comments

What an unbearable woman. Not only was she remarkably smug and condescending but she was factually inaccurate on almost every issue she tried to discuss. Now I know what people mean when they constantly say The Economist is going down the pan.

Your statement, that "London's prosperity is built on its ability to attract the rich, the clever and the hard-working from all over the world" lacks one group of people: the crooks from all over the world.

The media tycoon who has been corrupting the British police, Britisch journalist and a number of high ranking politicians. The Russian oligarchs who bought Britisch soccer clubs and even newspapers and whose wealth certainly did not come from the application of the philosophy of Adam Smith. American investment bankers who cherish the save haven of London not risking to be put behind bars for their criminal activities as they might end up in New York. And finally the tax evaders from all over the world notably Greece and Italy preferring the foggy London to their sunny homelands for obvious reasons and increasing the London real estate prices

I wonder if your statement that "London does not care where people's money comes from, so long as there is plenty of it" does not need reconsideration.

Did it ever come to your mind that corruption is an infectious disease which slowly but surely spreads into the society at large.

Please note the gradual decline of the UK in the ranking of Transparency International over the past ten years.

Britain - an observation...from a first generation immigrant
Britannia,
look at yourself
now that you are olde and grey,
having frittered your youth away.,
Who are you now?
Who have you ever been?
Beacon to the worlde
a lighthouse on the timeline of modern history,
However, did you come to be?
What have you told your children’s children’s, children?
When?
What do they know of the architects of your fate? Aristocrats, Royalty
nouveau riche, bankers, merchant class grandees?
Of the builders, heartless bureaucrats, defaced enforcers
servants civilled, stilled?
or the unwitting collaborating labourers, duped into antlike conformity,
with an unshakeable belief in the need for self sacrificial incremental, improvability
who built your worlde with ruthless efficiency.
Your crumbling walls, built on wrong,
unstable, unpalatable, undeniable
“The foolish man” built his house...
upon the sinking sands of soullessness’
and you are now drowning in the historic mess.
That of empirical chickens coming Home
to roost.

Many flying old established migratory patterns
across the Atlantic,
following ancient, architectural plans
blueprinted for this future of now.
Except that this time it is voluntarily, un-coordinated, immigration,
In contrast to enforced, en-masse transportation, brutal incarceration
Which, lead people, then, to where they are
Australia, America.
Britannia,
what do you know of your contrived destiny?
The plans for your future generation’s liberty?
of your children born in mental poverty?
With numbers, no need for names
casualties of the digital games.
Birthed , worker pensioned ants,
chipped, pinned, phoned and facebooked consoled lives.
Moving goal posted, promised future progress,
history repeats, more or less.
Britannia, ask yourself now, what are you prepared for
constant war?
Empty vessels...historic patterns need to be broken.
You are naked, emperor don’t you feel
the cold breeze of china rising? Of India rousing, of Africa restless
from the coma of colonization!
Clothe yourself, pneumonia invisible, still has the power to kill.

Instead, work with the rich tapestry of domestic global heritage
to weave new fabrics for this society.
Take the many fibres, openly offered,
offered freely,
of cultures, diversity
of human validity,
left lying on the doorsteps
of your closed worlds
and co-create.
New architects,
employ new builders,
be the labourers,
reshape your history,
using the bricks of humanity.
Your soul lies bleeding,
pleading
with you to start
the process of healing.
We came to help,
Let us!
Iesha

Hello I was very interested in this issue as I live in Liverpool and our green belt land is very precious. Any relaxation of greenbelt laws will have an immediate impact on other areas of country. We are currently fighting any building development being considered locally on greenbelt land. Unfortunately due to lack of adequate employment opportunities in the North, my daughter and my friends son have both migrated to London to fulfil their careers. Our local property prices are subsequently falling due to the fall in first time buyers.
My understanding of the South East is that it is more vulnerable to drought conditions so housing even more people there seems very shortsighted.
Can London not try to focus on spreading the wealth over other parts of the country so that cities like Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool & Leeds can enjoy a resurgence and encourage our own families to remain together?
I find it alarming how much the country is subsidising unemployed people to live in London. Can this issue be addressed? I actually firmly believe we have to get more savvy with the buildings we have. One way forward is to invest in building more luxury retirement complexes as we have a growing retired population who are living in houses too large for their needs. Hopefully this could generate the availability of more family homes to the market.